The Upper Iowa Canoe Trip

August 22, 2004

We squeezed one more nature outing into the summer and we're so glad we did.  The weather was unreal and the Upper Iowa Canyon is a neglected treasure.  It's number 80 on National Geographic's Adventure 100, a countdown of America's best outdoor adventures.  My best friend from high school, Tom Hudson, my brother-in-law, Mike, and my older son, Quinn got along great.  But then, it's not so hard to get along on a perfect day canoeing.

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We camped at Hruska's Bluffton campground.  Gorgeous setting but we had noisy neighbors.  Time for tolerance.  Serenity Now!  They passed out eventually, though, and it was dead quiet when I got up in the middle of the night and ventured out of the tent.  I was rewarded with a sublime view of Venus rising and the Milky Way looming overhead.  I'm always in awe of the silent message of the night sky:  there's far more going on than you can ever imagine.